


Courage (The One Where Albus Schemes, Severus is Stubborn and Remus is Accommodating)

by Titti



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-04-29
Updated: 2007-04-29
Packaged: 2019-01-15 21:17:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12329052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Titti/pseuds/Titti
Summary: Albus helps Remus and Severus get together.





	Courage (The One Where Albus Schemes, Severus is Stubborn and Remus is Accommodating)

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Courage](https://archiveofourown.org/works/402396) by [schemingreader](https://archiveofourown.org/users/schemingreader/pseuds/schemingreader). 



> Notes: Written for remix_redux. Everything in italic is taken from the original story.

Death is the next great adventure, Albus has always believed that, but a new adventure can't start until he has completed his last task. It isn't about Voldermort or Harry or the war. No, this is personal, this is about the one he accepted too late, it is about Severus. 

Of course, Severus never makes things easy. Albus knows that if he shows himself as a ghost, Severus will dismiss him. Appearing as a ghost to others will interfere with Severus's mission. No, Albus has to be creative and find the perfect corporeal ally. 

Remus always makes things easy for Albus. It is luck (and Albus's intervention) that keeps all the members of the Order away from Severus, all but Remus. Then, Albus simply sits back and watches the two men interact.

Severus goads Remus to kill him; Remus needs things to make sense:

 _"You spiteful bastard. What was the Unbreakable, did you vow to kill him?"_ Remus asks, managing to sound caring and accusing at the same time. 

_"Why would I tell you that?"_ Albus isn't surprised to see the smirk on Severus's face. The man has never known when it's time to back down.

 _"I believed in you. I thought we could be friends....are you crying?"_ Remus says without masking his surprise. This time Albus is shocked too. Severus doesn't cry, not even when subjected to the Cruciatus. He must be more tired than Albus suspected.

 _"Shut up."_ Severus's ineloquent reply proves how tired he is.

It's then that Albus decides to step in. It's almost too easy. He has discovered that ghosts can become completely invisible, but they choose not to because it's too much like death. Albus has no such fear. "Ask him what happened," he whispers into Remus's ear. 

_"Tell me what happened."_ Remus repeats, making Albus smile for the second before Severus refuses to answer.

"Tell him you could kill him," Albus suggests, and Remus repeats it, but both Gryffindors watch Severus snort at the idea, and dismisses it with a simple. _"Liar."_

Remus frowns. _"How do you know I won't do it?"_

There is another snort from Severus. _"Because you're not vengeful."_

Remus laughs, making Severus and Albus turn to face him. Albus tries to think for the appropriate reply, but before he can suggest anything, Remus says, _"Wrong. Because I suspect you are working for our side, and--"_

Albus feels his jaw drop. He has always known Remus is perceptive, but this surprises him. It doesn't seem to surprise Severus though, he glares at Remus. _"Because you were wrong about Black."_

Albus should have known that it always goes back to Sirius. Everything in their lives always started with Sirius, and he regrets not having seen it before. If he had, maybe he could have saved three lives instead of two.

He's lost in thought and misses their exchange when he's listening again, Severus is accusing Remus of not standing up to his friend, something that Albus failed to take into account when he made Remus a prefect.

Remus shakes his head. _"No, I was afraid that you would tell my secret the first time you lost your temper. Sirius did."_

 _"I did,"_ Severus answers with a note of regret.

Remus shrugs it off. _"I know. I lived."_

Albus watches for a second, and he's holding his breath, not that it's difficult since he’s dead, but he feels better when Severus answers: _"Dumbledore asked me to do--what I did that night."_

 _"I guessed,"_ Remus says softly. Severus isn't as surprised as Albus feels.

* * *

After that, things become even easier. Remus and Severus begin working together, spending more and more time together. Albus stays back, giving them their privacy, but the day Remus has to meet Voldemort to become the newest Death Eater and spy for the Order, Albus tags along.

He expects plenty of things to go wrong, he's pleasantly surprised when things go better than he had expected. Once again, Severus tries to make things hard, accusing Remus to let his lycanthropy rule his life, but this time he pushes a little too far, and Remus retaliates the best way he knows how.

Albus laughs when he sees the shocked look on Severus's face. _"Did you just kiss me?"_ Severus sputters.

 _"Astute."_ The sparkling in Remus's eyes mirrors the one that Albus used to see in his mirror. He knows then that Remus will do more than give Severus a second life. He'll give Severus happiness.

* * *

The war is over, Voldemort is dead, and Severus has been pardoned. All in all, Albus has done what he needed to do, but he's not ready to leave, not yet. Curiosity takes over, and he wants to see what happens next with Severus and Remus.

Remus moving in with Severus isn't too surprising, but the way it happens is. Albus never expected Remus to blurt out: _"Oh yes, it's just a mutually beneficial arrangement. I happen to be in love with you, and you--you're quite green. Are you all right, Severus?"_ Remus never expected Severus to run to the bathroom and throw up. _"Should I take it as a bad sign that you vomited the first time I told you I loved you? Severus?"_

Albus can see Severus watching from behind the curtain of black hair, trying to decide how much to reveal and how much to hold back. _"I don't like teasing,"_ he finally concedes.

Remus smiles placidly. _"I'm not teasing. Not about that. Here, let me tie back your hair--"_

Severus slaps Remus's hands away. _"I didn't understand what it all meant until you said--"_

Albus smiles. "Offer him lemon drops," he suggests to Remus.

 _"Do you need a cup of tea?"_ Instead Remus says, ignoring the softly whispered idea.

 _"I can't say it back,"_ Severus says stubbornly.

Remus shrugs; he does that a lot around Severus. _"It's all right."_ Severus continues to argue until Remus shuts him up in the only way possible. He wraps one arm around Severus's neck, and presses their bodies together. _"You idiot. Kiss me."_ And Severus does.

* * *

Albus lingers on for months. He's not sure what he's waiting for, but he knows deep down that it's not time yet. He watches as Remus and Severus build a life together. They sleep together, they eat together, they go out together, except no one knows they are together. 

Albus doesn't understand why. Remus and Severus never discuss it; they never bring it up. It's like they have this silent understanding. Albus has almost lost hope until the day of Harry's wedding.

He knows Severus too well to mistake the smirk on his face for anything other than the completion of a brilliant plan, because Severus's plans are always brilliant.

Albus gets near enough to hear Remus say: _"All right, is this a dare? What will you do if I follow through?"_

Severus raises an eyebrow. _"I don't promise anything, Lupin. You must act to preserve your self-respect or not at all."_

 _"Manipulative bastard,"_ Remus and Albus say in unison, making Albus chuckle.

Severus looks nonplussed, instead he stares at the Remus and then at the crowd. 

Remus shakes his head, and taps his glass with a spoon. He stands up, and smiles softly. He turns toward the happy couple with his raised glass pointing in their direction. _"To Harry and Ginny: may you be as well-suited to one another as Severus and I are. Congratulations!"_

Severus raises an eyebrow in the direction of the two hundred guests, daring anyone to say anything. When there are no objections, he stands up, and leaves. He hears footsteps, and turns to see Remus run after him.

"I did it, so why are you upset?" Remus asks.

"Who said I'm upset? Albus, tell him that I'm not upset."

Remus looks at him with eyes as wide as a saucer. "Severus… Albus… he's dead."

Severus snorts. "I haven't gone mad. Albus?"

Albus appears, and he's so unused to see himself that can't even remember the bright blue robe with the silver stars he's wearing. Of course, the robe isn't as surprising as the fact that Severus knew about his presence. "When did you know?"

"Ask him what happened, tell him you'll kill him? Really, Albus, even the dead could hear you," Severus answers.

"I think not, Severus. The dead don't have as fine hearing as yourself." Albus smiles gently. "You've known all along, then? You should have said something."

"And spoil all your fun." Severus shakes his head. "It was enough to know that you were still with me."

"It's time to go," Albus says.

"The next great adventure… I know," Severus says, barely refraining from crying. "I shall miss you."

Albus looks at him, and then at Remus. "You'll be happy, and now I must go. Goodbye, Remus. Goodbye, Severus."

Remus watches as the ghostly form of Albus Dumbledore disappears, before putting his arm around Severus's waist. "Are you all right?"

Severus nods. "I love him."

"I know."

"I love you, too." Severus isn't a Gryffindor, and doesn't jump into things, but a year later, he finally has the courage to say it.


End file.
